March 2, 2023
Learning from God’s Word
Nehemiah - “Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone… All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law… The Levites… then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places. They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.” (Nehemiah 8:2-3, 7-8)
DAILY DEVOTION
When Ezra stood before the Israelites and read to them from scripture, the people listened to him speak for hours. Then, they listened to the Levites read more scripture and then explain to them what they were hearing. The people listened for so long because they desperately wanted to hear and learn from the Word of God. In the same way, we need to read, study, memorize, hear, and live out God’s Word. We need to be as passionate as the Israelites about the teachings of the Bible so we can experience the power of God in our lives. We need to hang on to each word as if we knew that He was using it to speak directly into our lives.
When we read and study the Bible, we can be confident that God is working in our lives because the primary way He speaks to us, guides us, and directs us is through His Word. In the Celebration Discipleship Course Faith Foundations, we read that “The same Holy Spirit, who inspired the writers of the Bible, can and will speak to you today as you read it. In fact, the Bible is God’s primary way of speaking to His people. As you read and study it, you are hearing directly from the Lord. As you spend time with God, you can be confident that He will never speak to you in a way that contradicts what the Bible says because He is the author. If you desire for the Lord to speak to you about something specific, spend time in prayer about it before your regular time of reading. God wants to speak to you. In fact, He can speak to you about any problem, issue, or request you may have through any portion of scripture.”
FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
Ask yourself the following questions: Do I faithfully read the Bible every day? When I read the Bible, am I serious about it or am I just going through the motions? Do I pay attention to what I am reading in the Bible as if every word is coming directly to me from the Lord? What can I do to start or renew my Bible reading time? If you are leading your family through this devotion, lead them through each of the questions written above.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, help me to always listen for You to speak to me through Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.